About Time You Met: Nadine Beshir, Producer at Dinner Time StoryBy Angelica Malin

After a hugely successful launch in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates, Dinner Time Story is heading to our fair city. If you’re not clued up on Dinner Time Story, it’s a new and entirely innovative dining concept based around the culinary exploits of an animated chef. We sat down with Nadine Beshir, producer of Dinner Time Story to chat about what we can all except for this multi-sensorial projector-based dinner show.

For anyone that’s not familiar with Dinner Time Story – can you tell us a little bit about the concept?

Dinner Time Story is a two-hour fully choreographed dining show telling the story of ‘Le Petit Chef’ as he follows the route of Marco Polo. The show’s six-course menu takes the diner along a unique culinary journey across the regions visited by the legendary traveller on the silk route. It starts from the birth place of Le Petit Chef in Marseille to the Middle East, then India crossing over the Himalayas to China before landing back in France. The mood, music, table patterns, props and decoration all change with the chapters of the story to immerse the diner into one continuous 3D projected tale. We use virtual reality, 3D projection and innovative gastronomy to tell a story within a multisensory experience. As most of our guests said: it cannot be explained, you must try it!

Why have you decided to bring the concept over to London?

There are a number of reasons really; the concept from its inception has been developed as an international traveling show, and London is one of the key international cities for experiential dining. Whilst it’s a very rich and competitive market, we believe that our experience is very unique and would be much appreciated by Londoners .

There’s a mixture of both digital technology and high quality food and drink, which would you say is the main aspect?

In the development stage both went hand in hand, with the story of the food being the main driver. However, from a market differentiation perspective, since many high-quality food and drink options are available, the main USP is the digital technology enhanced by the choreography of the show.

When you first started Dinner Time Story – how did you spread the word?

We invited media, food bloggers and influencers to an opening show. The content of the videos and photos they posted went viral and this simply helped spread the word.

What’s been the toughest part about starting the company?

There has been two main challenges:

To synchronise – with attention to details – all aspects of the show: digital content, sound, props, decoration, aromas, food, drink and most importantly, timing of service. It’s like producing and directing a theater play, yet more complicated, because it integrates the audience within the play as they eat and interact with it.

Convincing the first venues with the idea when it was still a work in progress. Many people could not imagine or visualise it.

What do you like to do in your spare time to relax?

I am a very active person who seldom relaxes! However, when I do relax it would basically be either water sports like sailing and kite surfing (I’m still learning), an art exhibition/ experience and my favourite, going to a new interesting restaurant.

Do you have plans to launch in other cities in addition to London?

We have already signed Berlin, Brussels and Shanghai. We are in the process of signing Stockholm and Hong Kong, and we’re looking for a suitable partner for the US.

What was the turning point for Dinner Time Story – when did it all start gaining momentum?

When we launched in Dubai, we launched there in March and it started gaining momentum after the second week. Internationally, we are still in the beginning and we believe more is yet to come.

What’s your favourite supper club or restaurant in London?

It has to be the Gingerline.

Are you planning on creating more Dinner Time Stories in addition to Le Petit Chef?

Yes, we are definitely planning on launching new stories. We hope to be able to launch a new show every 12 to 18 months. We are currently working on the idea for the next show and some new cool technologies along with it.

Angelica Malin

Angelica is Founder & Editor-in-Chief at About Time. A 26-year old entrepreneur with a passion for nut butter, yoga & coconut milk lattes, she’s all about girl power, and can be found juggling spreadsheets with downwards dogs. Say hello: angelica@abouttimemagazine.co.uk.